Day 1: What Are You Worshiping with Your Words?

Scripture: Luke 6:45

What comes out of your mouth? It’s not just noise. It’s not just a joke. It’s not just “how you process things.” It’s a direct line to what’s happening in your heart.

Jesus said it straight up, your mouth speaks from the overflow of your heart (Luke 6:45). So if sarcasm keeps leaking out… if gossip keeps sliding in… if bitterness keeps sneaking through in the form of “just venting”? That’s not a mouth issue. That’s a heart issue.

That’s the uncomfortable truth in the Elisha-and-the-bears story, too. This wasn’t just a group of kids being kids. They weren’t playfully teasing. They were deliberately mocking the man God had just chosen to speak on His behalf. They weren’t making fun of Elisha’s bald head. They were rejecting the authority of a holy God. Because they didn’t want a holy God. They wanted a god who let them do what they wanted. And when the holiness of God showed up in their city, in the form of His prophet, they used their words to push it away.

Listen, your mouth might not be shouting insults at a prophet in the street. You might not be trying to get a crowd to turn on someone God has anointed. But take a second. Be honest. Have you paid attention to what your words are revealing about your heart lately?

Do your words sound like someone who’s been with Jesus? Or do they sound like someone trying to prove a point… win approval… or keep control? Because here’s the deal: If your mouth is constantly tearing down, snapping back, or throwing shade, it’s probably not because everyone else is just that annoying. It’s because something’s off inside.

What you say is worship. The question is… who are you worshipping?

Application:

Today, keep a running tally. Seriously. Notice how you speak at work, at home, online, or even in your thoughts. Are your words full of gossip? Cynicism? Sarcasm? Or encouragement? Truth? Honor? Let your mouth show you where your heart is leaning—and don’t be afraid to ask God to realign it.

Prayer:

God, I don’t want to pretend to worship You with my lips while my heart is chasing something else. Show me where my words have been leading me away from You. Help me see what I’ve been worshiping without even realizing it. And lead me back to You.

Day 2: Don’t Blend In - Bow Down

Scripture: Romans 12:2

The people of Bethel didn’t throw away their religion. They didn’t wake up one morning and say, “Forget God—let’s be pagans now.” No, it was way more subtle than that. They just muted it. Turned the volume down on the parts that made them uncomfortable. Rewrote the parts that were too inconvenient. Kept the structure of worship but gutted the substance. They reshaped worship to fit their politics. Their preferences. Their comfort. Their king.

So yeah, they still had religion. They still showed up. They still used the name of the Lord. But they weren’t bowing anymore. They were blending.

Sound familiar?

We don’t build golden calves anymore. But man, we do build lives designed to fit in. We say all the right words when we're in church, but then jump into gossip or sarcasm in the group chat like it’s no big deal. We post about Jesus in our stories… and tear someone down in our comments. We lift our hands in worship on Sunday… and use those same mouths to curse His image-bearers by Tuesday.

And here’s what we tell ourselves: “It’s just how things are.” “It’s just a joke.” “God knows my heart.” Yeah. He does. And maybe that should sober us a little. Because that’s not worship. That’s camouflage. That’s trying to look spiritual without surrendering anything. That’s trying to follow Jesus without actually changing.

And the danger is this: We get so good at pretending, we forget we’re pretending.

So let me just ask the hard question: Have you started reshaping your faith to fit in, instead of letting your faith reshape you? Because the people of Bethel didn’t lose God in a day. They lost Him over time...one compromise at a time. And it all started when they stopped calling Him holy.

Application:

Choose one moment today to bow instead of blend. When the conversation turns toward gossip, complaining, or trash talk, don’t go along with it. Speak differently. Live set apart. Even if it’s awkward. Even if you’re the only one. Bow down to our Holy God.

Prayer:

God, give me the courage to stand apart. To speak differently. To live like I’ve actually spent time in Your presence. I don’t want to fit in if it means I have to lose You.

Day 3: Honoring God in the Small Stuff

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

You want to know how someone really worships? Don’t just watch them at church when the lights are low and the band’s playing your favorite song. Watch them at checkout when the line’s too long and the cashier’s too slow. Watch them when they’re fighting with their spouse and think nobody’s listening. Watch them when someone cuts them off in traffic, or their kid throws a tantrum in Target. That’s where real worship shows up—or doesn’t.

Because worship isn’t just hands lifted in a room full of people. It’s a heart submitted in the places nobody else sees. The small, daily, ordinary stuff. It’s what you say behind someone’s back. It’s how you tell a joke, whether it builds someone up or tears someone down. It’s how you correct someone, whether you use shame or love. It’s how you respond when you’re frustrated, or disappointed, or angry. It’s whether or not you keep your mouth shut when you know your words would only make it worse.

And listen—Elisha’s story? It’s a strange one, yeah. But it’s also a warning. Because God doesn’t take it lightly when we make light of Him. Those young men in Bethel weren’t just being punks. They were mocking God’s voice, God’s messenger, and ultimately, God’s holiness. And we may not be yelling at prophets in the street, but let’s not kid ourselves, we’ve made light of God plenty of times. We’ve joked about things that matter to Him. We’ve laughed along when we should’ve spoken up. We’ve used His name like it was filler instead of sacred.

So maybe the question today isn’t “Did I worship at church this week?” Maybe it’s, “Did I worship in my words this week?” Because that’s where real worship happens—in the ordinary, unscripted moments. And it still matters to God.

Application:

Today, pick one area where you usually let your mouth run wild—maybe it’s sarcasm, maybe it’s complaints, maybe it’s those little "harmless" jokes. And surrender it to God. Ask Him to make that space holy ground.

Prayer:

God, I want to glorify You in the little things. In the things no one sees. In the moments I usually brush off. Teach me to worship You with every word—even the ones I never say out loud.

God’s not looking for perfect people who have it all together, who never say the wrong thing, who never mess up or lose their temper. If that were the standard, let’s be honest, we’re all disqualified. Every last one of us. But here’s the good news: perfection isn’t the goal; alignment is.

God’s looking for people who care about what He cares about. People who are willing to pause mid-sentence and go, “Man… that didn’t sound like Jesus.” People who are honest enough to admit when their words have been harsh, careless, or just flat-out selfish. Not because they’re trying to earn anything, but because they love a holy God who’s already given them everything.

The weird stories in the Bible? Yeah, they’re strange. They’ll make you scratch your head, maybe even get a little uncomfortable. But they’re not just weird—they’re holy. They’re not random—they’re invitations. Invitations to slow down. To check your heart. To take God seriously again. To stop just singing worship and start living it, word by word, moment by moment.

So maybe this week, instead of trying to get it all right, we just commit to this:

Let my words show who I worship.

In how I speak to my spouse.

In how I talk about my boss.

In how I respond to frustration, to disappointment, to people who don’t deserve kindness, but get it anyway, because Jesus gave it to me first.

Let’s be those people. Not perfect. But present. Paying attention. Speaking life. Pointing people to a God who’s holy, and good, and so, so worthy. Let’s worship Him with more than our songs. Let’s worship Him with our words.